Spirit Bound, the events after Blood Promise
by Vampire Academy. Spirit Bound
Summary: Rose Hathaway returns to St. Vladimirs Academy with loves and losses. Her lover Is still alive, and her promises keep her at school until the year passes. Lissa continues with the trials and beats Jesse up because of their conversation, see what happens.


Spirit Bound Fan Fiction  
© by Cam Smith

A week ago I was with the man I loved, only, he was dead. I'd had the horrible destiny to relieve him of his life as a Strigoi. I made a promise to save him from a fate worse than death, and though it pained to kill him, I had no other choice. If only the dead stayed that way.  
I received a letter which included the stake I used to pierce his heart and now I know he is still alive, well, in a sense. But also I was given a note from my newly found father Abe, or Zmey, which ever. In it he hinted that Victor Dashkov, Lissa's uncle who kidnapped her to risk her life and save his own, would only tell her the location of his brother for his freedom.

So here I am now back at St. Vladimir's Academy awake in my bed, and unable to sleep. The head guardian Alberta had asked, almost begged me to come back to the academy and continue in my classes. She and most of the guardians here had high hopes for me as Lissa's future guardian, and everyone expected us to be a good match. Having the bond with Lissa, allowing me to see through here eyes, feel what she feels made me almost her guardian automatically.  
But I say 'Almost' intentionally. It hadn't occurred to me, but Queen Tatiana had appointed two new Guardians for Lissa. Vasilia Dragomir, the last in the Dragomir line, was soon to graduate, and being part of a royal family she is entitled to two guardians. Queen Tatiana in her attempt to make her great nephew Adrian Ivashkov and Lissa get together had kept her very close and so taken two Dhampir's from their jobs to protect Lissa. This is where my dilemma started.

Amidst my thoughts and worries I hadn't notice myself fall asleep. I was in another Adrian dream, but this one was new. A floral garden, stretched as far as the eye could see, drenched in a sea of red and white roses, and Adrian, standing in the centre next to a flowing white marble fountain. He was dressed in a traditional black and white tuxedo holding a bouquet of frangipanis and forget-me-nots.  
"Welcome back little dhampir." He said with a smile, holding the flowers out to me. I looked at him deciding how to react.  
"I thought I told you not to invade my dreams again?" I added with a sour note. Last time he had intruded in on my dream I had screamed at him and told him I didn't want him to look into my dreams again, before pulling out of his dream.  
His smile quickly faded, and replaced itself with his awkward smile. He stepped forward and gently placed the flowers on a stone bench, and then grabbed my hands. I looked into his eyes, full of wonder and guilt.  
"I only wanted to check on you. We were worried, especially Lissa." He looked down, trying to word his thoughts before saying them, "And your mysteriousness. Not telling us about Mark and Oksana. But you had your reasons, I'll give u that."  
He then tensed, before continuing. "And your neck. The bruising, the blood, what happened?" This hit me. I should have expected that he would make a big deal out of what happened with Dimitri, but I wasn't ready to share what happened just yet. So I just pushed away and looked into the distance.  
"I'm sorry Adrian, I can't, not yet."  
He understood, and dropped the subject.  
"So, if you don't mind, who was that who left that message with me?" He asked, face full of intrigue. Glad of the change in topic I looked back at him with a sweet grin.  
"That was Abe, he's my father." I said excitedly. His gorgeous smile returned and he beamed down at me.  
"So when do I get to meet the man?" He teased, "I should call him up right now and arrange a play date!"  
I scoffed at him, "Well, even I don't know his number, I don't see you getting hold of him any time soon, and he is a very busy..." I paused, thinking of what to say, "...Business man. He won't be able to stop by."  
"He is your father, and from what I hear, unlike most moroi men, he seems to care for you. That is rare; he would take the time to get to know you." He said in all seriousness, before teasingly adding, "Besides, if he doesn't, I could always use compulsion on him."  
I didn't like the idea of using compulsion to get my father to find out who I am now, but I couldn't help fighting further smiles at the thought of bonding with my father, after all this time. We talked for a few minutes more before he let me go back to sleep.

I woke up to Lissa banging on my door, excited at the first chance to wake me again, after a month apart. It was like I had only been gone a day, and things were already back to normal. Lissa opened my door and jumped up and down on my bed ready with fresh news, a smile from ear to ear.  
"I am glad to announce that Miss. Rose Hathaway is now an official student here at St. Vladimir's Academy. Also your friend Kirova has been appointed the Headmistress once again, and peace has been restored!" She giggled at her last comment and gracefully hopped off of my bed. "Don't take too long breakfast doesn't wait forever you know." And she walked out the door.  
It had taken me only half a second to feel the faint glimpse of sadness left by Christian. He had broken up with Lissa after he found out about Aaron from Jill. I tried having a talk with him but he quickly left before I could say anything to him. Maybe for now it's for the best, they will work it out soon enough, and be back on their way to making little Dragomirs. Despite our clashing natures, I'd grown quite attached to him.  
I slowly got up, taking my time to enjoy where I was again, surrounded by my friends, most of them. I couldn't help thinking about Dimitri, and how much it hurts that I promised mum I would finish classes. I shook away any ideas I was having and had a long hot shower. I happily got dressed in something I hadn't been wearing for a week and went to join Lissa for breakfast.

I was greeted at the door to the cafeteria by Stan. He had more bruises on him than I'd seen in a long time, then it hit me. The trials were still on!  
"Miss. Hathaway, what a pleasure to have u back. I'm sure you had some time to think about your performance during the trials. Now I hope you remember that you will be attending counseling sessions today, unless you feel you can go without them now?"  
He asked happily, but with all seriousness. I grinned at how calm he was.  
"The ghosts are gone now." I confidently noted. "I don't need to be asked questions about my questions anymore thanks." I sarcastically added.  
"Very good Miss. Hathaway, that means you can continue your post with Mr. Ozera, effective immediately." My grin fell. This could be good, or bad. On one hand I would have a lot of time to spend with Christian to patch things up between him and Lissa, and on the other hand, he might not be very happy with me for a while. Great. He handed me a fake stake protect Christian.  
"That will be all Miss. Hathaway."  
I walked over to the table at the far end of the cafeteria to greet Christian sitting by himself, facing a wall. I saw Lissa come out from the feeders and she saw I was walking towards Christian. She looked at him, gave a sad look of regret, and accepted I was to be with him for a while now. Then she went and sat with Eddie.  
I got to Christians table only to be greeted with a huff, but I sat down anyway. I saw he didn't look happy, probably thinking about Lissa still, I don't blame him.

"Well it looks like its back to old times then Ozera." I said smugly, "Pick up the pace its time for food!"  
He laughed, "Ok, we'll go to the feeders first and then we will grab your food." We walked in to the room and saw the line had just started; Christian ticked off his name and got in line. There were only two people in front of us, so we wouldn't be waiting for long, only it was Jesse and Ralf.  
"So she returns, couldn't handle Ozera so you just ditch him? Come on rose even I thought you weren't that mean." They both laughed at me, but I didn't care what they said, "I hear you two were quite the team during the attack, wouldn't that make you closer? Or is it just that you got jealous he was with Lissa and cried in the corner for a month?" This I didn't care about either, until I went through what he said again.  
"… During the attack." He had said, the attack he caused. Memories from earlier flooded back to me; Christian burning the first Strigoi that attacked us. Nathan, the blonde haired Strigoi, outside the junior campus. Nathan sinking his teeth into Dimitri's neck, and finally, I watched as Dimitri's body plummeted into the water below, "That was what I was supposed to say."

Jesse was trying to annoy me again, but he had hit me below the belt. I couldn't fight tears, my love was gone, and it was all Jesse's fault. That night, the following day, the past month, all of it.

Jesse noticed me crying and trying to act powerful stepped toward me and said, "I get it right and all you do is cry? You really have changed, too bad, I like a girl who can take it." He gave a sarcastic smile and laugh and turned back around.  
I didn't know how to retaliate. He had hurt me so much with so few words, I felt an anger burn inside me, and I punched him square in the nose. He staggered back, clearly not expecting me, and I hit him again and again and again, until soon there was blood flowing out from his nose. I paused and built power into a fist that collided with his face so hard he fell to the ground. He didn't move after that.

It felt the same in that moment than it had when I'd taken the hate from Lissa the night of the attack. All the rage, all the anger, I just let it out. He had caused the death of the man I loved with all my heart, and he couldn't care less. It was people like him who bought the old me out.

Through all of the thinking, only half a second had passed, and I hadn't realized that I'd jumped on top of him and started hitting him some more. Christian though found it slightly funny, but tried to rip me from Jesse's limp body. He and many others were trying very hard it seemed, but I was too engorged in attacking him.  
Adrian walked through the door then, and saw what was happening. He ran toward me, looked me straight in the eye, and said, "You don't want to hurt him anymore. You want to stop!" And a big part of me wanted to, but as it was, he had been drinking; his compulsion wasn't strong enough for the current situation. He called out for Lissa, and she ran in the door wide eyed. They both started to compulse me, it took a little bit of persuasion, but eventually I felt the want to stop, and did so.

I suddenly felt happy and calm, and so got up and lazily skipped off with Christian, who happened to be being fed by Alice again.  
"Hello Alice," I giggled at her, "How have things been on this side?"  
She looked at me, clearly knowing what I had just done, and wondering what was with my sudden change in mood. She shook off the thought and smiled at me.  
"Not so much to tell dear. I still think they are out there even now." She said. I'd forgotten how loony she could sound, but this was obvious.  
Alice bent her head slightly to the side, allowing for Christian to bite her, and so he leaned down as I watched intently. I still remembered the feeling that Dimitri's Strigoi euphoria left on me, and part of me wished I was feeding Christian, but I knew better, so I dismissed the thought.

Christian thanked her, and she sweetly smiled back, still in a daze from the euphoria. We walked out to be greeted by Stan and Alberta. My mind snapped back to the trials and I quickly grabbed my steak and pushed Adrian, Lissa and Christian behind me, as all the moroi were still waiting for me. Only they didn't attack.  
"Rose, you just attacked a student. Why?" enquired Stan, "You haven't been back a day and your already causing trouble for the others."  
I froze. I thought this must just be a mind trick designed to make me remember that I might have connections to Strigoi I am about to kill, so I attacked. I caught Alberta off guard, punching her in the stomach, and she toppled over cupping her stomach. Stan looking shocked was able to doge the right hook I sent at him, and grabbed my arm and twisted it around to my back, slamming me against a wall. I fought back and with my free arm I grabbed my stake and placed it where his heart was.  
Alberta noticed my staking of Stan and realized I thought it was a Strigoi attack, and so called Stan off. "Rose! This is not part of the trials!" I stopped immediately, "We are here about Jesse! What happened?"  
I turned around blushing, I had taken this completely wrong, and I felt so bad for hurting them, but it did feel good. "Jesse said some things.. Things about Dimitri, the attack." Alberta knew how I felt about Dimitri. She tried to offer her condolences, but I had trouble accepting them.  
"I'm very sorry for your loss Rose, but you can't take it out on students. You will both be taken to see Headmistress Kirova when he wakes up and she will sort out a punishment. You are dismissed."  
Christian had guessed about Dimitri before I was sure about him and I could see that he would question me soon. We walked out to the cafeteria to see every eye on me, figures, everyone knows what has happened. I got some food then sat down with Christian again.  
"Ok, so spill it," he said after just sitting down. "You took him out for joking about the attack, but that's not the whole story. It was because of Dimitri wasn't it?"  
I had to give it to him, he knew what he was saying. "He joked about the attack, and he caused it. It was his fault that the Strigoi got into the school, and they killed many people. Dimitri meant so much to me, and it will never be ok to laugh at that."  
Christian knew he'd hit a rough spot after my response. But he was a smart arse so he continued. "Not that I didn't like what you did to Jesse or anything, after what he did to Lissa I wish I had joined in," He still cared about Lissa, now I have leverage to get them back on track! "But what was it going to prove by beating him half to death?"

I didn't have a reasonable answer to that, so I didn't respond. Luckily that was when Alberta came back, "He's awake now, and it's time to see Kirova."  
Alberta escorted us to the headmistress' office and sat us down in seats just out of reach of each other, and then she left the office for privacy. Kirova wasn't in yet so I used the time to gloat about his now bruised and swollen face. "I like the makeup, a little too heavy around the eyes, but for a guy you did a better job than I expected." I sarcastically remarked.  
He hadn't left me with a scratch so he didn't respond out of embarrassment and just glared at me.  
The door slid open and Kirova walked in with Stan. She sat down behind her desk while Stan stood off to the side. "Ok, by my recount Rose you were provoked and you attacked Jesse leaving him unconscious, Jesse, do you wish to say anything in your defence?"  
He looked at me strangely; I don't think he knows about Dimitri, so the effect of his words hadn't hit him. "Uh, what did I say that was provocative?" He said with caution, "I only had a joke with Rose here, nothing more."  
I looked at him, slightly guilty. "He was talking about the attack, and it hit a sentimental fact. It was Jesse's fault the attack happened, and I didn't like how he laughed at the deaths he caused." I said painstakingly.  
Kirova knew about Dimitri and me and didn't want to say anything hurtful, but knew she still had to punish us both still. She was also suddenly quite apprehensive, she didn't know how the Strigoi had gotten in yet and this was news to her.  
"What you're saying Rose is a very serious accusation! Can you back this statement up with facts?" She said with all seriousness.  
"Yes. Jesse has been trying people to use their specialized magic offensively, just on the border of the school, at the wards. He uses what he calls an initiation into the club where he barrages restrained people with Air, water, earth and fire magic until they can compulse him to stop. If they succeed they are accepted. In using the four magic types it caused the wards to fail, and caused me to see Mason. The day of the attack, Lissa went to observe what his club did when she was put against the initiation, refusing to use her compulsion. Eventually she gave in and stopped him." I recalled with angst. I still remembered very well how Lissa's rage affected me.  
"That is a very in-depth account Rose. It will be put under consideration, but you still attacked Jesse here, so you will have to do some form of detention. The trials will be finished in a month, and so you can do a few weeks when it's finished. Jesse, the attack was no laughing matter at all, and if what Mrs. Hathaway says is true, you will get a much more serious punishment. Until then, you will have detention for the next week, dismissed."

We walked out, I wasn't happy with the punishment, but it was fair. Jesse got his just desserts too so I can't complain there. I had a smug look on my face as I left Jesse scolding back at the Cafeteria, just in time for lunch to finish. I started walking with Christian to the Library for his extra.  
"How'd it go Rose?" He asked, seeing the look on my face. I looked over at Jesse smiling some more, "Piece of cake." I retorted.


End file.
